Escape
by smokiesgirl
Summary: Smokescreen is not the only 'Bot in the pod that brought him to earth. NOT slash.
1. Chapter 1

**A/N: Ok, I've been thinking. What if Smokescreen wasn't the only 'Bot in the pod that brought him to Earth? What if there was another? Also- This is ****_NOT_**** slash. Enjoy!**

Smokescreen's optics flickered back online slowly. His processor ached liked nothing he had ever felt before. He jerked fully awake with a heavy exvent. Where in the name of Alpha Trion's beard was he?

His optics focused after several failed tries. Oh, yeah. He'd been hit... by the 'Cons... while guarding Alpha Trion... Scrap, his processor hurt.

_I must be on board a Decepticon transport ship,_ he mused. _But where's Alpha Trion?_

Smokescreen looked up at his servos, stretched high above his head. He tugged at the chains binding his arms to the wall. Agonizing pain shot through his frame, stiff from cycles of immobility. With a low intake, the persistent young mech continued to wrench at the restraints.

Several groons later, and the stubborn Elite Guardsmech was no closer to being free than when he awoke. Struggling to his peds, Smokescreen twisted until he was facing the wall. Now at a better angle, he had a bit more success.

With a creak, the chains finally separated from the wall. Now he was free from the wall... But he still had manacles attached to his wrists, and he was still aboard the 'Con transport ship.

Now, to find something to get the chains off...

**(Smokescreen's POV)**

Ok, so I got the chains off. But I still need to get off the transport ship.

I'm by myself in this giant room full of scrap parts. I need to find a way out of here before any 'Cons show up. Hey, what's through that door? Only one way to find out...

**(No one's POV)**

Smokescreen pushed his way through the piles of scrap metal laying everywhere. Grunting, he finally made it to the door. Now, to figure out the access code...

Several groons later, the tired young Elite Guardsmech was still trapped in the scrap room, and _very_ annoyed. Muttering, the young mech paced, racking his processor for anything that might help him out of his predicament. A glint of metal, shinier than the scraps laying about, caught his optic. Maybe...

Yes! Darting forward, he snatched at the broken blade, wrenching it from the pile. It had been a portion of a mech's melee weapon, but had snapped off close to the hilt. Now, all that was left to be done was to disable console controlling the door. That was easy; a quick slice from the broken blade, and Smokescreen was heading down the corridor.

To his right, down another corridor, almost an exact match to the one his was moving through, came a low moan, stopping abruptly when a heavy thud sounded. Curious but cautious, Smokescreen slid down the hallway, optics narrowed.

A voice, harsh and unfeeling, cut through the near silence. "What's the matter, Autobot scum? Can't take a little hit?"

Smokescreen stopped in his tracks. The speaker was obviously not referring to him.

Moving forward again quietly, he peered into a doorway. The young Elite Guardsmech barely restrained his anger.

Restraints fastened the strange mech to the wall. His Decepticon tormentor was standing nearby, sneering at the helpless mech's position.

Smokescreen cautiously transformed his right servo into a blaster. Alerted by the noise, the guard turned... And fell, a smoking hole through his chassis. Working quickly, the younger mech blasted through the restraints. He struggled to support the mech he had rescued. "All right," He grunted. "Just hold on, all right?" The stranger nodded weakly, struggling to get his peds beneath him.

Stumbling along, the two went on, searching for an escape route. A sudden beep caught Smokescreen's attention. Pulling the stranger to his side, he ducked behind a support beam. Two guards, on relief duty passed the support, chatting. One tidbit in particular caught Smokescreen's audio receptor.

"Do you really think Commander Dreadwing included enough escape pods for us all? Protocol states the majority of prisoners remain, but guards are usually not given the option of escape, should necessity arise."

"Positive," The other replied. "I've seen them myself."

The first grunted in disbelief.

"You don't believe me?" The second asked indignantly.

The other shrugged.

His companion gestured the way they had come... Toward the escaping prisoners. For a sparkbeat, Smokescreen and the other mech held their intakes and froze.

"The Decepticon continued. "They're that way. Maybe you should see for yourself."

His companion shrugged. "After this shift."

Uninamity restored, the guards went on their way, while the escapees went theirs. Creeping onward, the two Autobots made it to the area containing the escape pods... Which were unguarded. Smokescreen snorted to himself. The idiots. Didn't it occur to them that some prisoners might escape?

The two slipped into a pod. Smokescreen hit the control. They were ejected from the ship... And knocked into stasis, for better or for worse.


	2. Chapter 2

Smokescreen and the mysterious Autobot he rescued, drifting through space, locked in stasis. The Decepticons winning the war. The remaining Autobot forces driven off Cybertron. A small group, including Prime, making it to Earth.

(Several millenia later)

~ At Autobot HQ ~

Raf typed on his laptop, patiently searching alien conspiracy sites for pictures of anything Cybertronian with Jack.

Miko was coaching Bulkhead through several exercises to keep his legs from atrophying.

The other 'Bots were all performing the tasks neccesary to keep the base and equipment functional.

Jack asked Raf, "Hey, what's that?" He pointed to a picture of a round object, hurtling through the air. Raf adjusted his glasses.

"It looks Cybertronian," The pre-teen announced.

Ratchet walked over. "Are you sure?"

Raf nodded. Optimus walked toward the ground bridge. "Ratchet," he rumbled, "Bridge us there."

**~~~~~~~~~ About the same time ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~**

_Unhh... I hate getting knocked out. It's too painful- waking up, anyway. Wait. I'm rambling. Where am I? It's so dark in here. I can hear another mech's intakes. Oh, yeah. I'm on an escape pod. I should probably get out of here with the mech I rescued before company arrives. _

**~~~~~~~ A few earth minutes later ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~**

The Autobots stepped out of the ground bridge, blasters ready. Which was fortunate, as a group of Vehicons opened fire abruptly, with the Insecticons providing extra firepower to the Decepticons.

The Autobots ducked behind a rocky outcropping, shooting in the general direction of the 'Con forces.

A blue and white stranger dashed abruptly out of the forest, blasters working overtime. A stray shot struck the trail of Energon, leaked from the crashed escape pod. Stranger and Autobots alike ducked behind the rocks as the pod exploded in a burst of flame and shrapnel.

The stranger, sporting several Autobot faction symbols, shouted gleefully at the smoking carcasses of the offlined Decepticons, "Now,_that_ was a plan!"

He turned to the Autobots, an exuberant grin on his faceplates. They stared blankly at him, until the utter pride faded from his optics, replaced by barely discernable uncertainty.

"Uh..." He shifted nervously on his peds.

Arcee was the first to respond.

"What the scrap was that?" She demanded, flaring her doorwings aggressively.

The stranger pulled back slightly, startled.

He stammered, "I-I was just-"

She cut him off. "You were just _what_? Trying to get us killed!?"

The newcomer shook his head vehemently. "No! Of course not!" He drew a deep intake. "Look, obviously we got off on the wrong ped. So... Hi. My designation is Smokescreen, of the Elite Guard."

Optimus stepped forward. "Greetings. I am Optimus Prime."

Smokescreen's optics looked like they were going to pop out. "Th-_the Optimus Prime_? I-It's an honor!"

Optimus nodded graciously, before coming straight to the point.

"Smokescreen, what news do you have of Cybertron? Did you have an active part in the war?"

The young mech shook his helm ruefully. "No, I got stuck with guard duty at the Iacon Hall of Records, keeping an optic on Alpha Trion."

Optimus asked, almost eagerly,"What news do you have of my old mentor?"

Smokescreen shrugged. "No, sorry. I was knocked out by the Cons- Oh, _SCRAP_!"

He whirled and dashed into the forest.

At a nod from their Prime, Arcee and Ratchet hurried after him, leaving Bulkhead and Optimus at the scene, with Bumblebee working the groundbridge from base.

Arcee caught up with the frantic mech easily.

"What is the matter with you? She demanded.

He shook her off. "I have to hurry!" He gasped. "He'll offline if I don't get there soon!"

"Who?" Ratchet puffed, finally catching up to them.

"Him!" Smokescreen exclaimed pointing to a figure, crumpled near a fallen tree.

The three Autobots rushed over.

Arcee stared in disbelief. "Is that?"

Ratchet nodded. "It is."

Smokescreen looked from one to the other. "It is."

He made it a bare three seconds before asking. "It is _who_?"


End file.
